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Don't delay on your ISO 9001 transition

It is now some 16 months since the introduction of ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015.

The deadline for transition is September 2018, which still appears to be ages away.

In terms of time, we are not even halfway through the transition period, but in practical terms the window to get your transition done is rapidly closing.

Why you ask.

There are a number of reasons.

Delay

Most businesses are delaying their transition to the last possible moment, and will coordinate their transition with their last audit before the deadline. This might be as part of their recertification audit or during a surveillance audit.

Logical. Yes. Achievable, possibly.

We understand and appreciate that resources are tight to make the transition, so why do it until necessary. There are also other factors why you might be holding back.

Lack of senior management engagement or understanding

Lack of awareness and/or competence to implement the changes

Business need for certifications

Perceived lack of benefits of early adoption

Time available for introducing changes

But, as a possible business critical certification, there is little choice to proceed at some point.

Preparation

It will take time to change your System to incorporate the revisions and prepare for the Audit.

The Standards have changed so that they will,

Integrate with other management systems

Provide an integrated approach to organizational management

Provide a consistent foundation for the next 10 years

Reflect the increasingly complex environments in which organizations’ operate

Ensure the new standard reflects the needs of all potential user groups

Enhance an organization’s ability to satisfy its customers.

They require more detailed examination of the,

Context of the organisation

Interested Parties

Risk Assessment

Process Approach

Lifecycle Assessment (ISO14001)

They are very different to the previous versions of the Standards in some respects.

So, if you have not yet started to think about the changes required to your System, you will need to,

Understand what is required

Make a Plan

Bring together the understanding and information

Implement the transition

Ensure that it is fit for purpose and is working.

Get audited

Having helped many organisations transition already, we know this is not a five minute job.

And if you have more than one Standard, additional time will be required to get things in place as there are differences in requirements. Integration of your Systems may seem onerous, but will help save time going forward and with Audit times.

Auditor availability and cost

There is circumstantial evidence to suggest that auditors availability in the last few months of the transition will be severely limited, because they will already be booked. Demand for audits to transition will be obviously higher than normal. We know that some auditors are already booked for much of 2017 already, so the situation in 2018 can only get more challenging.

Also, if there is more demand than supply, then in a competitive environment, which exists between Certification Bodies, prices might rise.

Why would Certification Bodies not put their prices up. You will have nowhere else to go, because all their competitors will be fully booked too.